Covered
by Jen Drake
Summary: Skate. Sawyer and Kate find themselves covered.


Title: Covered  
Rating: PG-13ish  
Pairing: Sawyer/Kate  
Summary: Response to a challenge. Takes place in season two, so anything Season 2 is fair game.  
Warnings: Implications of adult situations  
Status of fic: Completed one shot  
Author's Notes/Disclaimer: Authors Note at the bottom. Anything you don't recognize is mine, anything you do is not.

The original challenge: To write about one's favorite characters or pairing in the mud.

Brilliant streaks of sunshine shown through the leaves and filtered into the jungle. From his sitting position on the jungle floor, Sawyer leaned against the trunk of a large mango tree. Looking up into the foliage, Sawyer's eyes searched not for the fruit of the tree, but for who was picking the fruit. He was starting to get antsy.

"Freckles, you almost done up there?" Sawyer called in an irritated tone.

"Almost," came her reply. Sighing, he leaned his head back against the bark and closed his eyes. He had no idea why he'd decided to come out gathering with her. She'd insisted that they'd picked the area around the caves, hatch and the beach too well, had insisted they go farther inland. They'd been warned against going further inland by Bernard, Libby and Mr. Eko that morning when they'd passed them while leaving the hatch. Kate hadn't asked him to go with her, he'd volunteered when Jack had suggested that she go search for more fruit.

"Well hurry the hell up, it's hot down here!" Sawyer grumbled.

"And how's that gonna change by me hurrying up?" Kate asked, chuckling to herself. Sawyer had no answer for that.

"Just hurry up!" he was agitated, that much was obvious by his tone.

"I'll be down in a few minutes," Kate remarked, placing fruit into her pack. When she was a few feet off, she let go of a branch and let herself fall, bending her knees to absorb the impact. She turned to say something to Sawyer, but found his spot empty.

"Sawyer?" she wondered, looking round frantically. "Sawyer?"

"'bout time you came down, Sweetcheeks," came Sawyer's slow Southern drawl from behind her. Kate whirled around and let out a tiny sigh of relief to find him behind her. "You okay?" he ducked his head to look in her eyes.

"Yeah," she nodded. "What'd you want?" Sawyer took a step closer to her as she backed up against the mango tree she'd been in moments earlier.

"Besides you, backed up against a tree, Cupcake?" Sawyer moved in, placing a hand against the tree on either side of her head, trapping her effectively. Kate stared up into his sapphiric gaze and closed her eyes when she felt his breath on her face, felt him move closer. When nothing happened, Kate's eyes snapped open and she found him looking at her with a slight smirk on his face. "Anticipation is half the fun, sweetheart," he whispered slowly.

"What-" Kate started to disagree but was cut off by Sawyer's lips on hers. It was slow and tentative, as if asking for her permission. There was no use denying the kiss, and when Sawyer's tongue snaked across her lower lip, Kate couldn't suppress the moan that escaped into Sawyer's mouth. When his tongue snaked into her mouth, delving into the recesses, deepening the kiss. Kate's every breath was taken away as Sawyer backed her fully into the tree, pressing his solid body against hers. Kate felt as if he was touching her very soul through the kiss. The kiss was long, slowly and luxurious. When they parted, Kate couldn't look at Sawyer. She couldn't let him see how much the kiss had affected her.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments. The sunshine beat down on them intensely, only heightening the heat that was already between the pair. Then clouds began moving in and it was raining suddenly.

"We should go back!" Kate yelled over the noise of the rain, starting toward the hatch, pausing to make sure Sawyer was behind her. The rain was coming down so hard that they could barely see a few feet in front of them. Sawyer could feel the ground losing solidity below them as they raced through the jungle.

"Freckles! Slow down, it's too-" Then she was falling and he tried to stop, but slid in some mud and flailed to get hold of something. With nothing in reach, Sawyer lost in balance and slid forward, putting his hands out to catch himself. Instead, he ended up falling face-first toward the ground. He was surprised when he found himself on top of Kate, who'd managed to fall on her back.

"You okay?" Kate asked, grunting when he didn't move off her right away. With a groan of discomfort, Sawyer rolled off Kate and onto his back, the rain falling on them, though not as strongly.

"Yeah. You?" he breathed deeply. He heard her murmur that she was and then chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"Shoulda listened to me, Freckles," he turned his head to look at her, amazed that even covered in the grime and mud, she was still beautiful.

"Why's that?" Kate eased herself up on an elbow, turning onto her side as she looked at him with interest.

"I tried to warn you. Told ya to stop," he shrugged his shoulders, not moving from his position in the mud. "It's too damn muddy to be runnin' around out here."

"You're worried about a little mud?" Kate still looked down at him, raising an eyebrow at him. The rain was falling lightly now, little more than a mist.

"You're not?" Sawyer challenged.

"There are things worse than mud, Sawyer," Kate rolled her eyes, pointing out the facts. Sawyer nodded.

"You're right, a life without sex would be worse than being stuck in the mud." Kate burst out laughing at that and shook her head, pushing herself up to a sitting position, wishing that it was still raining so the mud would wash off her body a little easier.

"What's so damn funny, Freckles?" Sawyer demanded, propping himself up on his elbows.

"We're stuck on a desert island in the middle of nowhere. I don't think you're going to be getting laid for quite some time, Sawyer," Kate said seriously before she started laughing again. Then he was grabbing her arms and pulling her down on top of him, his hand going to the back of her neck to hold her head immobile.

"Let's change that, then," he whispered, not moving any closer to her, his lips barely a centimeter away from her own.

Kate said nothing to that as a tingle of anticipation ran up her spine. His breath was warm on her face, coming out in gentle pants. She could feel his body beneath her, feel the hard muscle and sinewy flesh that she was pressed against. The electric intensity between them could set the tall grass on fire.

Sawyer didn't move, but he could tell that she was debating in her head whether to kiss him or run in the opposite direction. The hand not on her neck moved to her side, resting where the edge of her tee, where the cotton met the denim of her jeans.

"Sawyer," she whimpered low in her throat.

"Freckles," Sawyer couldn't help the smirk that adorned his face. He opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off by her lips crashing down on his. In the back of his mind, he registered the fact that Kate had thrown a leg over his and was now straddling his waist, but the thought was pushed aside when her tongue touched his. The kiss was different than the last one they'd shared. It was hot and rough, passionate and frantic. Sawyer couldn't help but think that she was kissing him as if he were going to disappear or leave at any second.

When the kiss broke, both were gasping for air, staring at each other intently. The rain had stopped completely now, but neither noticed. Still laying back in the mud, Sawyer reached one hand up and cupped her cheek, running a thumb over a patch of drying mud. When all he did was smear it across her cheek, he stopped and gave her a sheepish smile. When he didn't remove his hand, Kate surprised him by leaning into his touch.

Looking at Sawyer, Kate had never wanted anyone as much as she wanted him at the moment. Covered in mud and dirt, there was still an undeniable attraction for him, combined with the connection and chemistry he always said they shared. Suddenly, Kate wanted to be much closer to him. But not in the jungle. No, Kate wanted a tad more privacy than a random location in the middle of the trees.

"Come on, Cowboy," she stood suddenly, holding her hand out to him, bracing herself in the mud.

"Where we goin'?" Sawyer allowed her to pull him to his feet, helping when she started to slide in the mud.

"Back to the hatch," she answered as if it were obvious.

"The hatch? Why? We're havin' more fun out here, Darlin'," Sawyer protested, reaching for her arm and tugging her back against his chest. Pressed against her backside, Sawyer pressed a kiss against a patch of skin on her neck that wasn't covered in dried mud. Rolling her eyes, Kate shook her head before twisting in his arms.

"I thought we'd continue this in the shower, that's all," Kate casually shrugged her shoulders before turning away from. She glanced over her shoulder to see Sawyer still standing in the same place, his mouth hanging open slightly. "Race ya."

Kate grinned when she saw the challenging smile on his face before he asked, "What's the winner get?"

"Whatever they want," Kate called as she took off toward the hatch, trying not to slide in the mud.

"That's cheatin', Sassafras!" Sawyer yelled, taking off after her. Just when the hatch came into sight, Kate slowed her gait and Sawyer, not expecting it, crashed into her, sending them both sprawling into the mud.

"I guess it's a tie," Kate breathed before a laugh escaped her throat.

"I guess so," Sawyer chuckled.

"What's a tie?" Sawyer groaned when he heard Jack's voice from the side. Kate quickly stood and turned to help Sawyer up, but he ignored her extended hand as he stood.

"Oh, we were just racing," Kate reached over and took Sawyer's hand in hers, surprising not only herself but Sawyer and Jack as well. Jack's eyes remained on their hands.

"Racing for what?" Jack narrowed his eyes at the pair.

"We were racin' to-" Sawyer started to reply before Kate clamped a hand over his mouth.

"I bet Sawyer I could beat him here," Kate shrugged. "I'll see you inside," she gave Sawyer a small smile before winking at him. Then she disappeared into the hatch, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Now why do I not think that was what you were racing for?" Jack wondered, looking at Sawyer with a questioning gaze.

"'Cause we were racin' for the shower," Sawyer grinned. "Excuse me, Doc. I gotta woman to tend to," he smirked at Jack before going in the direction Kate had moments earlier. Jack was dumbfounded before he followed, thinking it was only Sawyer who was going for the shower. He stopped outside the bathroom when he heard Kate's voice over the sound of the water running.

"I thought the water'd be cold by the time you got here."

"Hell, Freckles, did you really think I was gonna stand there talkin' to the Doc all day?" Jack leaned against the wall, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly.

"Well I don't know," Kate walked toward him, "you're standing there, aren't you?"

Sawyer gazed at Kate, who was dressed only in her mud-covered tee and a pair of panties. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and he could make out tendrils covered in mud in places. She looked at him expectantly before he crossed the room in three strides and pulled her to him, his lips finding hers as he tugged at the hem of her shirt before guiding her backward into the shower.

Jack moved toward the closed door and pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear what was going on inside the room. All he could hear was the running water followed by a low moan and then laughter. As he backed away, he heard Sawyer's voice through the door.

"Damn, Freckles, we should get covered in mud more often if this is how it's gonna end up.

Authors Note: Well...I got the challenge off a Harry Potter site, but figured since it didn't have any names or other specifics, that it could work for Lost. I don't particularly like this. I think I ended it rather abruptly and made them extremely out of character. But anyway, feedback is appreciated and encouraged. Any ways to make this better are more than welcome. Also, if there are any spelling or major errors that I missed, please let me know! Let me know what you all think:)

Jen


End file.
